Better Blood Transfusion

Better Blood Transfusion was an initiative by the UK Chief Medical Officers to improve the safe and appropriate use of blood. It started in 1998 and continued until 2012 when it was superseded by Patient Blood Management. the NBTC had a major role in overseeing the Better Blood Transfusion initiative in England, where there was demonstrable success including a reduction in the morbidity and mortality associated with transfusion documented by SHOT and a reduction of 20% in the use of red cell transfusions. This section provides key documents related to Better Blood Transfusion.

These papers outline surveys of the implementation of the Better Blood Transfusion initiatives launched in 2002 and 1998:

Murphy MF, Howell. Survey of the implementation of the recommendations in the Health Service Circular 2002/009 ‘Better Blood Transfusion’ on behalf of the National Blood Transfusion Committee. Transfusion Medicine 2005; 15: 453-460.